In the fast past world of today, there are numerous software applications and electronic devices that claim the ability to help one get organized and to work smarter. These applications and devices are commonly, collectively, referred to as personal information managers (PIMs). PIMs harness the power of the computer to make time management easier and more effective. They provide powerful tools to simplify e-mail communication, streamline group planning and scheduling, and provide access to information all in one place.
However, even with all these PIMs available, many people still resort to a simple piece of paper to jot down a note, such as a phone message. These notes then begin to clutter one's desktop and eventually may become lost or forgotten. Similarly, people typically use a pen and paper, not a PIM, for taking notes at a meeting. Later, the individual typically “re-purposes” these notes to form part of an email, document, or the like, or to schedule a meeting, reminder, task, or the like. This re-purposing typically requires the individual to re-enter some of the information contained within the note into a new form.
Some devices are now being developed to provide an alternative to these paper notes by offering the ability to electronically take notes. Then, instead of using a pen and paper, the individual uses a stylus on the screen to take notes. The resulting electronic notes are then stored on the device's storage system for later retrieval and viewing. While these devices provide a great step towards foregoing paper and pen, in practice, the notes that are taken are about as useful as the paper notes of past. For example, typically, the individual will need to “re-purpose” these notes, but now when the individual views these electronic notes, the notes appear as a monotonous display of text. Also, because these notes may have been written randomly during a meeting or throughout the day, the individual cannot easily discern or understand the important content within the notes. Thus, electronic notes offer little advantage over paper notes.
Therefore, the current state of the art does not support an ideal solution for electronic note taking.